Paper Dragons
by Fyras14
Summary: Once, every hundred years, a pair of dragons are born with only one purpose...protect the royal families of Hoshido and Nohr. One dragon is frustrated by his role in life and the other is treated poorly by what she is. Fire Emblem Fates AU.
1. Imaginary

**SPOILER ALERT FOR FIRE EMBLEM FATES CONQUEST, BIRTHRIGHT AND REVELATION ROUTE AND PERHAPS ALL DLC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

 **EDIT: 8/15**

* * *

 **Paper Dragons**

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 **PART I**

 **Imaginary**

* * *

Once, every hundred years, dragons were born into the royal families of Nohr and Hoshido; they were to be the protectors of the families, they were to be their shields, their weapons.

Krein knew this story well. It had been his favorite growing up and one of the few that made him dream. He would dream of dragons locked in combat, protecting the innocent, banishing the wicked. He dreamed of people cheering for him, smiling at him and bowing to him. He dreamt of a day when he would be King.

But eventually, as he grew older, he knew his dreams had been naïve and foolish to be real but to him, they were good and he always remembered them, always cherished them.

It was his Mother who told him to always value his dreams.

She would laugh softly at him as he told her about his dreams and she would always tell him to keep on dreaming and that someday his dreams could come true.

At first, Krein disregarded her advice but as he grew older and his dreams more ambitious, he knew his Mother's words were wise after all. He knew his dreams would come true; after all, he was one of the great dragons, one of the many protectors. He was a dragon of Nohr and soon, their King.

Krein grew up knowing he had no equal and that soon his dreams would come true.

 **-0-0-0-0-0-**

A couple of months before his sixth birthday, Krein had found out that another dragon existed in the world and he had been furious.

That couldn't be right, he had reasoned: He was the only dragon! He was the only dragon! And if another dragon existed it meant that he would never get to be King!

But his Mother just smiled and said that it was always like this.

The woman explained it all as her son sat with her, fuming and annoyed at the revelation; his Mother told him about the other dragon, the dragon from Hoshido. The dragon was a girl and if rumors were to be believed, she was younger and smaller and weaker. She was so weak that, according to the rumors, she hadn't even showed her true self (the dragon) to her people.

Krein remembered being too angry to care.

Whether she was weak or not didn't matter, all that matter was that Krein was the only dragon! He was the only one! The real one!

"Momma!" he had cried out, indignant. "That ain't true, right!? Not another dragon! I'm the only one!" His Mother, he remembered, had laughed and passed a delicate hand over his unruly blonde curls before she whispered,

"Are you jealous, my sweet? Please, don't be…that other dragon is not like you! You! My little boy! You are stronger than ten Hoshidan dragons put together! So why should you be jealous of such a frail, sad creature as that dragon from Hoshido?"

"But she's a dragon! And that's not fair!"

"So she is," Mother had replied, smiling sweetly before she explained, "and yet you despair my child…why should it matter if she is a dragon or not…she is Hoshidan after all." And then, the conversation had ended there. His Mother had figured that she had explained herself rather well by saying that the other dragon was from Hoshido. She hadn't.

Krein could still remember bothering her about it for a whole week afterwards. His Mother took it in stride, however, believing that jealousy was giving him a lousy temper and would always say that the other dragon was "just a Hoshidan" and expect him to just get over it.

By his eighth year, Krein finally understood his Mother's reasoning for saying that the other dragon was just a "Hoshidan" but by then he wasn't too worried about not being the only dragon in the world.

Like many children growing up, Krein had begun to realize how alone he was in the world.

Perhaps it had been the lessons and the stories of the Great Dragons that had made him think that way but Krein was never a foolish child and he realized with a strange sense of despair that he was alone among his own loving family.

He had the blonde hair and brown eyes and a certain paleness to his person but he knew he wasn't like his brothers and sisters. He knew he wasn't like his Mother or like his Father. He didn't have the bushy tails and long, furry ears of the Wolfskin that lived up in the mountains.

He was a dragon.

Krein knew their stories and he cherished them but the dragons in those tales were long gone. They had left this world a long time ago, leaving behind blood pacts and misery. The only truth of their existence remained with Krein and that dragon from Hoshido.

He was a dragon masquerading as a boy and for some reason it made him feel lonely; at least the Wolfskin had each other.

One day, after his lessons had come to an end and he was free to do what he wished for the rest of the day, Krein began to hold imaginary conversations with the dragon from Hoshido. It seemed silly at first but Krein didn't care. He wanted someone to talk to that could understand him even if this friend wasn't real. And so, he began to converse with this imaginary dragon.

In his head, he fantasied her reaction and later, her joy, at finding out that there was another dragon like herself…that there was another dragon that was just as lonely as her. He converse with this 'imaginary' dragon multiple times when he was upset or looking for understanding. If he was sad, she understood, if he felt lonely, she was his constant companion.

As the years passed, the conversations grew longer and deeper, with Krein wondering how she looked as a dragon. Was she big and strong or frail as he Mother had whispered? Were her scales dark like his or did they glow in the sunlight? Did she have long ears too?

Krein could still remember the conversations he had with his imaginary friend about his ears. They had been the most embarrassing ones but in the end, like always, his friend understood whispering words of agreement when he said he didn't like his ears and then, they'll share a laugh and feel better at the end of the day.

Even as he grew older and understood the silliness of it all, Krein never stopped talking to the dragon inside his head. She made him happy and when things went bad inside Castle Krakenburg, the dragon comforted him.

She was the only thing keeping him sane while his brothers and sisters killed each other. She was there for him when they had tried to kill him. She comforted him when his Mother died and stayed by his side as he went to sleep. She offered her support when he told her that one day he would take the throne from his Father and be a King.

The dragon in his head would always be his friend; she would understand him when others did not, and she would support him and as long as she did, Krein believed that he would be fine.

One day, however, he realized with a start that this dragon in his head wasn't the real Hoshidan dragon.

They would meet one day, he knew, and Krein was afraid.

His imaginary friend didn't speak to him for weeks as he thought about the real Hoshidan dragon.

She was replaced by an imposter. She was replaced by a real dragon that didn't understand him and did not approve of what he had become.

Eventually, the false dragon returned, whispering gentle words that if they met this real dragon, they would meet her together; if she didn't understand him, Krein didn't care.

The false dragon had been more of a friend than she had been anyway.

 **-0-0-0-0-0-**

They met on a summit; they're both young, he's twenty-one and she is eighteen.

She's nothing like what he imagined.

She is pale, paler than even him, and she carries herself like a delicate flower but is always alert, always smiling. And her long white hair curls at the end, flowing like a cascade and her long ears, longer than even his, are barely covered. Her eyes are red and piercing and gentle.

Krein fascinates her but he is just disappointed.

He couldn't really explain the disappointed he felt once they met, couldn't properly explain the agony in his heart when he realized just how different they actually were. He was almost jealous. He looked almost normal compared to her.

She introduced herself as Kamui, the dragon from Hoshido, smiling brightly as she extended her hand to shake his. Krein didn't smile but he shook her hand all the same while his imaginary friend sneered at her.

" _Your Mother was right,"_ the **Kamui** in his head had whispered. Her voice was unfamiliar but gentle and soft like the real one that stood before him. _"She is just a Hoshidan…a weak one…she couldn't possibly understand you like I do…"_

But this Kamui, the real one, was sweet and kind and nothing like what he had imagined.

He was attracted and despite the other **Kamui's** constant whispers to ignore her, he just couldn't.

She was sweet and understanding, like the one in his head. She was polite but curious and understood when he didn't want to talk about anything in particular but she offered him stories if only to hear one of his own.

He decided to humor her, despite the imaginary dragon's protests, and told her about Nohr and about his siblings. He left out the part about his Mother's passing and the fights that took her life and his wish of conquest over Nohr and how he had imagined her—dreamed of her—when he fell into despair.

Kamui, too, had humored him with her life in Hoshido. She was more secretive, her eyes sparkling at the mention of her brothers and sisters and her parents (the **Kamui** in his head whispered obscenities as she went on) and about many other things he took no interest in. He did take note, however, that she had mentioned no friends or retainers. He found it odd but Krein did wonder if she had felt lonely once just like him but then, he let the matter drop.

As he was about to leave to meet with his family, the girl asked, "Prince Krein…do you…do you know how to use a sword?" Her voice was shy, the question innocent but it was a rather strange question to ask…perhaps she did feel lonely among all those people and she only wanted to keep him closer.

Krein smiled and despite the other dragon's protests, he said, "Of course…I wouldn't be much of a prince if I didn't." He winked at her as Kamui's eyes lit up. The other **Kamui** just shrugged and muttered something along the lines of "you fool" as Kamui let out a small cheer before she composed herself.

"Alright…ahem…would you…would you care for a spar?"

Krein smiled widely, feeling his attraction growing stronger and stronger before he whispered, "A spar…not at all, Princess Kamui…not at all…"

* * *

Growing up, Kamui had been taught two things; how to fight and how to live.

Shura, a foreigner turned spy, taught her all that he knew of war, of holding swords and axes and spears and bows, of strategies and tactics and survival. Her Mother, a young priestess, on the other hand taught her kindness and humility and values and a few healing spells along the way.

She had lived in an old mansion alone with her Mother and a few servants, constantly under guard by many ninja and samurai. She was rarely allowed to go outside, unless it was for training or to accompany Mother to her visits to the Castle.

Kamui remembered being confused by the freedom she was given inside the mansion while she was forbidden from going outside. Her Mother had told her it was for her own protection but Kamui had wondered why they let her train outside, though, even if it was away from the populace. Kamui would immediately stop caring when she noticed the look of hurt on her Mother's face. She hadn't understood then.

Her visits to the Castle, too, were mysterious. They would always meet with a man with glasses and while her Mother left to meet someone else, Kamui and Master Shura would remain behind while the man with glasses asked for a report from the older man. Minutes later, a boy, older than Kamui, would appear behind the man with glasses. He was an odd one, with long, spiky hair and a katana too big for him to use. He had challenged her one day to prove his power over hers and despite Shura's protests, she and the boy fought.

She lost that fight and the few ones that came after and Kamui began to dislike the boy because every time she lost she would be forced back to train and that meant she wouldn't see Mother until the end of the week.

Sometimes, as she grew older, a young girl would appear with the boy and challenge her as well. She was not as strong or skilled as the boy but Kamui had been at a disadvantage and she had lost.

Losing didn't hurt as badly as it had before, though but Kamui had seen the disappointment on the stranger's eyes. Her Mother and Shura were never disappointed with her and one day, annoyed and stubborn that she had lost yet another match, asked her teacher on why he didn't care that she had lost.

Shura had shrugged before he said, "Did you learn?"

"Learn?"

"Yes…did you?"

"Umm…" The question had confused her and as the day went on, Shura elaborated so as to not leave his charge confused.

"If you always win," he explained "you never learn…those kids…they'll probably lose a fight…not against you, though…but against someone better…and then, they'll learn…but you…heh…you hold back…you're too soft...and that's okay, you just have to learn better and efficiently then, you won't lose."

"…but…wouldn't winning all the time just make it worse…?"

"Training is training." Shura had told her, "In training, winning or losing isn't the point…but outside, in the battlefield, winning is a must."

Kamui was still confused even at the end of the week, when she was allowed back home to spend time with her Mother who hugged her close and told her how much she missed her.

 **-0-0-0-0-0-**

She was twelve years old when she and her Mother moved into the Castle.

Mother was set to marry the King of Hoshido, whose wife had been lost two years back.

It was an odd piece of news but Kamui took them with a smile. She would finally have a father! A real one! She would finally have kids her age to play with! And perhaps her training could stop...and maybe she could stop hiding and maybe—

But she was wrong.

After her Mother married, Kamui was forced to keep her distance; she wasn't allowed to be near her new family and while her Mother would visit and Shura and a new pair of ninja stayed with her, Kamui couldn't help but feel lonely.

The Castle became her new cage and like in the mansion, she wasn't allowed outside either.

She wasn't allowed to visit her new brothers and sisters and father. She couldn't see them at breakfast, lunch and dinner. She didn't celebrate birthdays nor did she get to accompany them to festivals.

Kamui was trapped with only her shadow and the constant visits of her Mother for company.

Her Mother would always come around for breakfast every day and when she couldn't, she'll meet Kamui at lunch. Sometimes, she came alone and others, she had the company of a pair of women who were her retainers. Yuugiri, the older one, is kind and gentle, asking her questions about her health and if she slept well while the younger one, Orochi, gave her smiles and some sweets (which they all shared) and sometimes a few little fortunes here and there.

Orochi's family, her Mother had explained, were from a long line of diviners and they could see into the future and Orochi had a particularly good fortune to impart to Kamui one day.

The woman told her that one day she'll have to share her table with many people in the coming days.

Kamui was rather confused while her Mother had just smiled sweetly and nodded.

Days later, her Mother had come to meet her for lunch with her usual guards and a pair of girls.

Kamui had almost not recognized them; she had seen them in the wedding reception and so she knew they were her new sisters. The older of the two, Kamui hardly recognized until the older girl jogged her memory. Her name was Hinoka and she had been with that boy, Ryoma, and had been her opponent all those years back. She had shorter hair now and seemed much less angry and more determined. Next to Hinoka, with short hair that almost reached her shoulders and a timid nature, was her younger sister, Sakura, smiling at her nervously as they sat down next to their new Mother.

Kamui could still remember crying once they left.

They had made small talk as they ate, with Hinoka apologizing for not coming to visit and Sakura, timidly, wondering if she was okay and that she too was sorry for not coming to visit and would visit when they could.

And they did.

Sometimes they would come by themselves; sometimes they would come with Mother while other times they would come with their retainers.

Azama and Setsuna, Kamui had learned, were the odd ones out; Setsuna barely reacted to anything while Azama would constantly try to rile her up as if he was expecting something to happen. Kazahana and Tsubaki on the other hand were the strange couple; they would always complain about something or the other, always compete, always annoy the youngest princess and the others until she cried for peace and they could (finally) start eating.

Kamui didn't mind the company. It was company and they were fine people and it made her happy to have company at last, just like how Orochi had predicted.

Eventually, one day, Hinoka arrived at her usual time, Sakura by her side and a new face. Kamui, too, recognized the frown on the boy's face and immediately identified him as the young prince. Hinoka introduced him as Takumi and Kamui, smiling excitedly, went to hug him as she had done with her two sisters all those days back. Takumi had turned pale, wondering what to do before he gently patted her back in greeting and they separated.

Two days later, Takumi had come back, this time their sisters were not with him but rather he was with the last of her siblings, Ryoma. Kamui didn't really know how to react towards the boy she had met those years back.

Takumi introduced him as the eldest prince and her new brother.

Ryoma smiled at her and she gave him a small, shy smile in return.

They ate in silence that day, surprising Takumi who had expected a barrage of questions from Kamui like his last visit but kept his thoughts to himself upon sensing the strange tension between the two.

A couple of days later, Ryoma returned, accompanied by her Mother and another man.

She knew this man from the wedding and when Shura took her out to train in the gardens. She remembered how the man would smile and wave towards her when she was looking his way.

He introduced himself as her Father, the King of Hoshido, and after that, the questions were few, with Kamui nervously answering them as best as she could. It was an odd evening to say the least.

Her Mother came to visit her the next day, her retainers guarding the door outside as the Queen went to hug her and then she told Kamui the truth.

The Queen explained that due to political reasons, Kamui was kept at a distance from her siblings and the King.

"…it's not because I'm a dragon?" Kamui remembered asking innocently. Her Mother just gave her a sad smile and then whispered,

"In…in a way…" the woman began, deciding not to lie nor sugarcoat her words as she had done so long ago, "…the people…they…are not sure about you…if it were up to your Father…well…he would have let you live with us…we would be together…" Her Mother sighed and then began crying as Kamui went to comfort her.

She never asked again why the people of Hoshido feared their own protector.

Years later, she would meet Prince Krein of Nohr in the Izumo Summit and wonder if he was feared as he was loved.


	2. A History of Hoshido and Nohr

**SPOILER ALERT FOR FIRE EMBLEM FATES CONQUEST, BIRTHRIGHT AND REVELATION ROUTE AND PERHAPS ALL DLC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

 **Edit 8/16**

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 **Paper Dragons**

* * *

 **PART II**

 **A History of Hoshido and Nohr**

* * *

Princess Azura of Valla watched with mild interest as the two dragons began their duel; she smiled slightly when the Hoshidan dragon wished the Nohrian one good luck before they started.

A small crowd formed around the dragons, Nohrians at one side and Hoshidans at the other. Behind them, Izumo guards stood, possibly to make sure that the crowd didn't get too rowdy. The Nohrians were the loudest of the bunch, a few crying out in excitement or clapping when their dragon gained the upper hand. The Hoshidans, on the other hand, did not share their enthusiasm. They just stood there, silent, not even cheering nor clapping when their dragon caught the Nohrian dragon unawares. The Izumo guards behind them showed more enthusiasm for their dragon than the Hoshidans had and they had seemed to already pick a favorite (or they probably felt sorry for the poor thing when her countrymen didn't cheer her on).

Azura had already picked her favorite, but still kept her distance, moving slightly when one of the Nohrians covered her view. She smiled to herself when her favorite outwitted the older dragon, taking him by surprise once or twice throughout the duel, earning applauses from the Nohrians and Izumo guards (never the Hoshidans, however). The princess was unable to hide her disappointed when the Nohrian dragon, at last, disarmed the Hoshidan and forced her to forfeit. Her favorite had lost.

The Hoshidan dragon took her loss quite well, however, unlike the glaring men and women behind her. She was quick to congratulate the Nohrian dragon with a big smile and a shake of hands. She complimented his sword skills and wished to fight once more in the future. The Nohrian dragon took all these compliments with a straight face, smiling only slightly when she asked for another fight later on.

Before he could say anything, the Nohrians behind him took him away, a few congratulating him on his win while a few others nodded in greeting to the Hoshidan dragon before they followed their prince. The Hoshidans quickly dispersed, not even acknowledging their dragon as they left her behind; at least the Izumo guards were kind enough to congratulate her before they went back to their posts.

Azura finally allowed herself to frown as the Hoshidans and Nohrians disappeared.

She didn't like how the Hoshidans were treating their dragon; the Nohrian dragon's behavior, as well, left a sour taste in her mouth. Azura was not really surprised, however, considering the ugly history between Nohr and Hoshido.

Before Valla opened trade between the two countries, their disputes had been legendary.

Difference in cultures had escalated from simple misconceptions to war. Unlike her people, the Vallites, who had lived, scattered about in their land and alone with their own beliefs before finally finding common ground and uniting, the Nohrians and Hoshidans didn't even try to understand each other. If disagreements broke out between the two, they either insulted each other or they massacred one another.

Centuries back, conflicts like that hardly affected the people around them but as time moved and they gained allies, the people of those countries argued for peace. Izumo, a longtime ally of Hoshido, argued for neutrality, followed close behind by the artist's country of Nestra and the isolated Valla. Even the people of Mokushu, destroyers of the land of Kohga, argued for peace and neutrality and allied themselves with Nohr in order to not leave them hanging. It was this peace that forced the Nohrians and Hoshidans to realize that they couldn't keep on with their conflicts out of spite.

At least, the current rulers of these countries were much more reasonable men than their ancestors had ever been but they were no fools. They had yet to forget the history between them and the air of distrust still lingered among them.

King Sumeragi of Hoshido was known as a fair and valiant man but for all his fairness he couldn't keep the clans in Hoshido from arguing with one another. These constant fights between Hoshidans and his inability to stop them made them seem weak, at least politically, to the other clans and even towards his allies in the distant Wind and Flame Tribes.

Hoshido was a land blessed by good fortune.

Crops grew year round no matter the weather. Their land had very few natural disasters and those it did have didn't cause too much damage. Diseases were put down as quickly as they arrived. And their wealth, oh their wealth! They had amassed thanks to the merchant clans and their unending resources that they would trade for gold or goods. Unfortunately for the Hoshidans, it was their wealth that would cause most of their troubles.

Azura had heard stories about the Hoshidans and their vast wealth; Hoshidans, especially nobles and some merchant clans, prided themselves with being superior to their allies. They figured they had been blessed by the gods and, if they could get away with it, ridiculed the Nohrians for their bad fortune.

This attitude had made them terrible traders, at least, beyond their land, as it was through Valla's interference that Hoshido could trade their goods with their neighbors properly. The Hoshidan merchants were a little too greedy, however, and would ask a lot for their products. The merchants were fair to their allies but not to the Nohrians.

Merchant clans in Hoshido controlled most of the trade, Azura knew, and therefore had a say on what to trade and what not to trade and what was needed or required. They also had power in the Hoshidan court and used this influence to either stomp out competitors or make life miserable on Nohrian merchants who were looking to sell their wares. The clans, however, had lost some power years back when a group of them planned to eliminate the Hoshidan Royal Family because they had decided to start trading with the Nohrians.

Despite the failure of the coup, the merchants still had power in the court and found ways to annoy the Nohrians by raising their prices or buying Nohrian goods at a lower price. A few Nohrian merchants had fallen to their dishonest practice while a few smarter ones took their business elsewhere, mainly to Valla or Nestra where they were given a fair price or just Nestra were their gems and gold were worth more.

Still, despite their problems with their clans and lack of respect for their allies, Hoshido prospered while Nohr was another business altogether.

In contrast to Hoshido, Nohr was in constant need of crops and food and was attacked by bad weather and diseases whenever they weren't looking. Due to their need of resources, the Nohrians had understood long ago that in order to prosper they had to conquer and so, they began to lay claim to nearby countries, earning a yearly tribute of crops and gold in order to keep on going. When conquest wasn't enough, the mines of Nohr were worked harder than ever, producing metals and gems to sell and trade and replenish the riches lost on conquest.

Yet, many misfortunes plagued the Nohrian people and the recent years had not been kind to the poor nor the rich. Nohr soon became a haven for the unlawful and the wicked. Constant conquest and war and misery from years back had finally wormed its way to many nearby cities and transformed them and even a few places in the capital into something more. Many families were forced on the streets due to Nohr's lack of food and jobs and many others let their misery turn them into thieves and murderers to get by.

The current King of Nohr, Garon, was a very different man than Sumeragi, and he was constantly trying to solve the crisis in Nohr and return the country to its former glory. He and Sumeragi were only different in attitude, as they were known as valiant and fair men, but in the recent years, King Garon had begun to be unpredictable. He was a well-known womanizer and had sired many children with his many lovers but his love for them had caused a tragedy within the Nohrian court that all were familiar with; fights broke out between his concubines and they dared to drag the children into them. It soon turned into a bloodbath were only the dragon and two brothers and sisters remained.

The tragedy had affected King Garon in many ways and he had become crueler, less patient, less forgiving. Yet, he was surprisingly reasonable when the situation demanded it, much more reasonable than even King Sumeragi in some instances. Unlike the Hoshidan King, he ruled his court with an iron fist, vetoing foolish notions and executing or imprisoning criminals or traitors to the crown.

Garon put order in his court while Sumeragi let his run rampant behind his back but despite all this problems they had yet to declare war with one another…yet.

It was a good thing that Valla stood between their need of war; they were the middle men, Azura's mother had once told her.

Like Hoshido, Valla had been blessed with good harvests and even better weather than their neighbors. They traded gems and metals from Nohr with food and clothes that had been traded from Hoshido, while they traded simple things with everyone else.

It all ended and started with trade or rather; it could end swiftly with the dragons.

Azura turned to stare at the remaining dragon who was staring at her with a smile, before sending a small wave her way. The princess of Valla blinked and then, smiling, waved back and watched as the dragon went on her way, running to catch up with the other Hoshidans.

She watched her go with a smile and then wondered if this peace would last and if the dragons would be the beginning of it all.


	3. Two-Sided Coins

**SPOILER ALERT FOR FIRE EMBLEM FATES CONQUEST, BIRTHRIGHT AND REVELATION ROUTE AND PERHAPS ALL DLC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

 **Paper Dragons**

* * *

 **PART III**

 **Two-Sided Coins**

* * *

The Duke of Izumo, Krein decided, was the biggest fool he had ever met.

Izana, Duke of Izumo, was a strange man. He was cheerful and enthusiastic, constantly complimenting the food, his guests and his hair. **Kamui** found him amusing to say the least but she agreed with him that Izana was an idiot and a fool of a ruler. The other Kamui, on the other hand, had a strange expression on her face, as if she was deciding how to react towards this jolly man.

As of now, they were all having a feast; Izana had heard about the duel and complimented Krein's skills and Kamui's as well. The talk immediately grew serious, with Izana wandering about the situation in the two countries.

His Father, King Garon, answered politely and to the point: the Nohrians were doing better. They had found a trading partner in a faraway island that specialized in fish and exotic fruits. Of course Krein knew that…he also knew that his Father had sent him personally to _convince_ the islanders to trade but the Duke and the Hoshidans (as well as his brothers and sisters) didn't need to know that. **Kamui** had been so amused on how quickly the islanders gave up but Krein was quick to mentally remind her that it only took killing their chief to make them see reason.

" _Ah…yes…how could I forget? You did bite his head off after all…"_ **Kamui** purred silently, making Krein smile. He caught the Vallite Princess staring and his smile fell. _"She caught you!"_ the fake dragon laughed, amused. _"Why do you care if she catches you or not?"_ she went on, _"Her land has no dragon…she's no treat…"_

His old friend was right; Valla had lost their dragon almost twenty years back.

The dragon of Valla, the Invisible Dragon, had disappeared from the world, only to be found dying of an illness by his people. He had been one of the oldest dragons and Krein himself had only known of his existence when he had begun studying under an old knight named Gunther when he was seventeen.

Now, Valla was unprotected but that didn't mean it was prime for the taking and Krein hated that fact.

If, no when, he became King, he would want to get rid of the Vallites first before making his way to Hoshido but everyone knew the only way to Valla was through water.

Valla was…a strange place, Gunther had told him. The old knight explained that the Chasm, the great hole that divided the lands of Nohr and Hoshido, was the home of the Vallites. Valla lay somewhere in that deep chasm or rather the Chasm was nothing but a door to the kingdom of Valla and only the Vallites were allowed to go through it.

That's what made Valla such a valuable ally and such an enigmatic foe; no one knew anything about their forces save for the fact that their dragon protector had died and even then, they were not to be taken lightly.

But what did Krein care, he was a dragon after all and once he became King, he would find a way to enter Valla and destroy it.

" _Aim a little higher, my prince…"_ **Kamui** joked as Izana turned to the Hoshidan King and asked him about the 'bandit' problems he was having.

* * *

Kamui didn't know what to make of Izana.

He seemed like a nice, if rather eccentric, person but he had this air of 'what' around his person that she found him a little too overwhelming.

Azura, for her part, found him amusing and she had explained it so when she whispered to her about it.

The princess of Valla had asked to sit with her before the feast started and Kamui found out she couldn't say no; her Family were sitting with Izana and the Nohrian family (and Krein) on another table to discuss business and as it was always, Kamui was forced to keep her distance with only Shura and Suzukaze for company in the shadows as she ate. Azura's royal guards stood near their charge, staring at nothing but paying attention at everything as their princess exchanged pleasantries with Kamui and the two others in their table.

Flannel and Nishiki were the leaders of their respective beast tribes, the Wolfskin (known as Garou in Hoshido) and the Kitsune (known as Fox Spirits in Nohr) respectively. They had found her more interesting than the other humans around; as Flannel put it "You're one of us!" only for Nishiki to point out that she wasn't the only dragon around with the Wolfskin muttering under his breath that the other dragon was, in his words, "boring". Azura and Nishiki had laughed at that while Kamui smiled nervously.

True, she and Krein were not exactly getting along by leaps and bounds…she figured as such when they sparred. He was vicious and ruthless when he swung that practice sword and was very determined to win.

Nohrians, Shura had told her one time, are very determined. "They could also be deadly as well," he had cautioned.

Shura had been one of the few, along with Suzukaze and that old knight from Nohr that had congratulated her despite losing her match with the Nohrian dragon. Her Mother and siblings, too, had sent a smile her way when Suzukaze whispered the news to their ears.

Azura, too, complimented her skills and was sadden when she lost but Kamui assured her that it was nothing…that she could learn from that loss and that had made Azura smile and now, she was sitting here, conversing with the two beast tribesmen and telling stories of Valla. She would stare once or twice towards the table where Izana and the others were conversing but other than that she kept her attention on her small audience.

Kamui liked Azura. She was sweet and had a soft voice. Azura reminded her of those stories about princesses and samurai her Mother had read to her as a child. She also liked Azura because she treated her like…like a human.

It was odd really, as her Mother treated her more like a normal human than a dangerous beast. Even Nishiki and Flannel remarked that she was too human to be a dragon, with Nishiki wondering if it was because she didn't have fur to brush. Her scent was like water, they told her, like Azura's, much to the other princess's confusion.

"Like water, you say?" she asked, taking a bite out of her dessert, a small cake with a strawberry on top.

"Yep!" Flannel said, as if that explained everything. "And it isn't just because of that Nohrian girl spilling tea all over Kamui!"

Kamui groaned. "Please…if Felicia hears you, she's going to feel worse…" Flannel's ears lowered, as if hurt, but he understood.

The Hoshidan dragon still recalled the accident that the Wolfskin had mentioned.

As soon as she had left to meet up with the others for dinner, she had passed by a pair of servants for the Nohrian royal family. They were talking to a younger girl, probably Sakura's age, who wondered where someone named Felicia was. Seconds later, they would find out as a cup of tea flew through the air and caught Kamui scare in the face.

A small barrage of apologies later, Kamui had changed clothes and assured the young maid that it was an accident and that she didn't have to worry too much about. She had been a little concerned about the small scrapes on the maid's face to care about the tea soaking her clothes.

The girl too, had apologized for the blunder and thanked Kamui for her kindness.

"…so…she also smells like lemons?" Azura asked, grinning, dispelling the strange atmosphere that had overtaken the table.

Nishiki frowned and smelled the air before responding, "Nope…just water…like the sea…or perhaps a lake."

"I see…" Azura murmured, staring at Kamui before she said, "So, you smell like water…"

"Well…" Kamui began, a small grin forming on her face, "guess that explains the tea." Azura blinked once before letting out a small laugh with Flannel and Nishiki joining her with a smile.

"You're terrible." Azura said, shaking her head.

"But you're the 'good' terrible," the Kitsune explained, winking while Flannel nodded before eating some raw meat that was in his plate.

"I guess that's better than just terrible," Kamui said, smiling. Azura patted her shoulder and said,

"At jokes…yes…at everything else, I think you are just perfect..."

* * *

The Nohrians left a day earlier than the Hoshidans but Krein was anxious to leave.

He didn't like Izumo and he had come to hate Izana's attitude.

 **Kamui** had understood him but had whispered to him that he had to keep his hate to a minimum. _"What good is hate to a good King?"_ she had asked and Krein had been forced to agree.

Now, he was silent as he followed the knights that were escorting his Father and his siblings in their royal carriage. Elise, the youngest of the bunch, had waved at him from inside the carriage. Camilla and Leon acknowledge his presence with a smile while Marx ignored him in favor of their Father.

It was always like this.

Camilla and Leon had never been close to him growing up and found it hard to get along with him. Marx, as the oldest, kept to himself the most but trusted Krein in a few manners concerning Nohr and their Father. Elise, young and sweet Elise, loved her remaining brothers and sisters equally. She was the light of Nohr and their Father's heart.

And Krein hated them all with a passion.

He hated Camilla and Leon for being part of the bloodshed that had taken his Mother and hated Marx and the King for letting it keep going even after she died. He hated Elise because she had not been born yet and when she had she was suddenly special.

Krein hated them all and pretending to care hurt his heart the most but he knew he had to pretend in order to be King. After all, what was hate to a good King?

As the chieftain of that island had found out…hate was nothing and now, he was dead.


	4. A Discovery

**SPOILER ALERT FOR FIRE EMBLEM FATES CONQUEST, BIRTHRIGHT AND REVELATION ROUTE AND PERHAPS ALL DLC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

 **Paper Dragons**

* * *

 **PART IV**

 **A Discovery**

* * *

"And how was the summit?"

Azura sat next to her Mother, Queen Arete, as the servants prepared to serve them lunch; a few hours had passed since the princess had arrived from Izumo and here was her Mother asking questions.

"It was alright," Azura told her, smiling softly before adding, "Duke Izana missed you, though…he made a face and told me that you owe him a song the next time you come to visit..."

"I could always send you, my dear," the Queen said, laughing. "Did he make you sing for the crowd before you left?"

"Oh, he tried! Several times, in fact…I told him I was rather shy," the princess said, as her Mother let out a laugh.

By now, the servants had finished serving their lunch; cooked fish and meats and a small selection of fruits and salads faced the Queen and her daughter. They bowed to the Queen and the princess and took their leave, leaving the two women alone to their meal.

Once alone, Arete turned to her daughter and asked, "And…did you meet them?"

"Yes…"

And Azura told her Mother about the two dragons.

She told her about the dragon of Nohr and the dragon of Hoshido. She told her of the spar she witness between the two, describing their temperaments and their attitudes. She described Krien, the Dusk Dragon of Nohr, as forceful, perhaps even violent. Kamui, the Dawn Dragon of Hoshido, was soft spoken, kind and friendly and less violent than her counterpart but just as strong. She also told them of how the dragons were treated by the Nohrians and Hoshidans; one was kept a little too close while the other was kept at a distance.

"…so…those rumors were true, then," Arete murmured after the princess finished her tale. "I thought the rumors were an exaggeration…"

"After what I saw in the summit…some of them are…" Azura said glancing as her Mother served them both some salad and cooked meat. "They don't breathe fire; for one…at least not in public if that is true…but it is odd…the Dragon of Nohr is kept rather close but the Dragon of Hoshido…"

"…is kept at a distance…like a raving tenma," Arete finished, nodding.

"Ninjas are always on alert when she's around…a ninja would always relay messages between the Dragon and the Royal family…" Azura could still recall how Kamui's caretakers, the ninja Suzukaze and Shura, would send messages back and forth between the girl and her Mother. Kamui never moved from her seat and when she did, she kept herself at a distance. Nishiki and Flannel didn't understand this distance, though, and wondered if she was just shy (or embarrassed) of her Family. "It was odd…"

"Odd, you say?" Azura nodded. "Anything else?"

"Ah, yes some interesting gossip…apparently the Hoshidans have found the bandit leader that was giving them trouble…and the Nohrians have found new trading partners…a group of islands rather far from the Nohrian Sea…a struck of good luck, King Garon said…"

"A struck of good luck and not the chieftain of those islands dying, I'd like to imagine…" the Queen replied, making Azura blink before she let out a small "oh" and sighed. "Nohr has always been forceful…but at least, they killed one and not more."

"When did you…?"

"Learned about it?" Arete finished. "That was the reason I couldn't go to the Summit…I had heard rumors from the local Merchant's Guild." The Guild, Azura knew, took care of most of the dealings between Nohr and Hoshido and their merchants would be traveling all throughout Valla and Nohr and Hoshido lands, as well as a few lands in the distance. "I eventually asked Guildmaster Nube, and he told me the finer details of this rumor. Apparently, Nohr had been dealing with a rather stubborn man…wanted more than what he could give and the King sent his Dragon to make an example."

"And I wasn't told about this?"

"Because I didn't want this particular incident to affect you meeting them, Azura," Arete explained. "Still, I believe the King of Nohr took notice of my absence…but he wouldn't dare try what he tried with that poor man."

"…it's the Dragon I'm worried about," Azura said after a while. "He's every bit as vicious as his Father claims to be."

"All Dragons are vicious, dear," Arete told her. "Even the Silent Dragon was a nasty creature on his bad days…especially on his final days…but they are also a force of Good and Protection…"

"Perhaps…" Azura whispered and sighed.

"…Anything else before we begin eating, dear?"

"…ah! Yes…hmm…it's something strange though…"

"Really?"

"It sounds silly," Azura began, before shaking her head. "The chieftains of the Wolfskin and Kitsune tribes said I smelled like water." At that, Arete let out a small, hearty laugh while her daughter smiled.

"Did they now?"

"Yes…but…" Azura frowned and then said, "They also said that the Dragon of Hoshido smelled the same…"

Arete stopped laughing, her face turning serious.

"Like water?"

"Yes…"

"Are they sure?" Azura shrugged.

"Their noses never lie, at least, according to them…"

"Who does she look like?" Arete asked. "Does she look like her Father or like her Mother?"

Azura took her time to answer, noticing the anxious tone in her Mother's voice before she said, "She looks like her Mother…she told me she was the stepdaughter of the Hoshidan King…"

"…does she have…?"

"Blue hair, no," Azura told her, shaking her head. "She has white hair and red eyes and the longest ears I have ever seen…she is pale but even under the sun, she doesn't blush nor burn…"

"…Ah…"

"What are you thinking, Mother?"

"Perhaps it's nothing…" Arete was silent as she looked around the room, making sure that no one disturbed them before saying, "What I'm about to tell you Azura, you must never tell someone else, understood?"

"Mother…? What?"

"Understood?"

"…yes, ma'am…"

"Good…now, listen…" Arete took a deep breath. "As Lord Anankos lay dying all those years back, he begged us to find his lover and his child." The princess's eyes widened as her Mother let out a loud sigh. "We thought he was delusional…he was too sick and too violent in his last hours…and well, when your Father stood by his side he heard the Great Dragon speak to him about a child and his lover…he spoke to your Father about his life when he was away from Valla…about him meeting a beautiful woman and falling in love…" The Queen smiled sadly. "Lord Anankos was a strange creature…so full of love and power…and his last wish was to see the world…" Arete sighed again. "Only I and your Father and some priests know of this tale…and now, so do you."

Azura was silent before she whispered, "But…Mother…I…I don't think…"

"That Lady Kamui could be Anankos missing child…darling, I wish I knew…" Arete said, stroking Azura's head. "If Lady Kamui is Anankos's child, it would explain a few things…like why the Hoshidans seem to be wary of her…if she is this missing child then she doesn't look anything like a Dawn Dragon and that could scare anyone…"

"But…if she isn't a Dawn Dragon…then…what happened to the real one…?"

"That…is a good question."


	5. Big Brothers

**SPOILER ALERT FOR FIRE EMBLEM FATES CONQUEST, BIRTHRIGHT AND REVELATION ROUTE AND PERHAPS ALL DLC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

 **Paper Dragons**

* * *

 **PART V**

 **Big Brothers**

* * *

When the Royal Family returned to Nohr, Marx went to his office and sat alone; his siblings had gone to bed as soon as they arrived, except Krein and his Father, who left for the throne room to talk.

Marx didn't know what to think about that.

Years back, Father had given Krein as much attention as he had his other children. Krein had been born special, he was the Dusk Dragon after all, and yet, his Father always made time for everyone else, not just for Krein. If anything, Krein's mother, Isabelle, spend more time with the young dragon and spoiled him with tales of conquest and heroes. He almost envied the attention Lady Isabelle gave to her son, as his Mother, Queen Katerina, was too busy helping the King to care much for her son before the illness took her. And then, the concubines took Lady Isabelle and his brother was left all alone.

It was this chain of events that started it all.

Krein used to be sweet and kind and spoiled but now, he was vicious.

He was the kind of vicious man that his Father needed for Nohr.

He wasn't like the dragon of Hoshido, the Dawn Dragon, Kamui. She was calm and gentle and forgiving. Krein had never been calm, but his mother's death made him cruel and spiteful.

Marx still recalls the accident back at the summit between one of Elise's maids, Felicia, and the Dawn Dragon. It reminded him of a certain incident that happened in Castle Krakenburg almost five years ago, when the Ice Tribe sisters—hostages—came to serve his Family.

They had been assigned to serve Krein while his old teacher, Gunther, watched over them and trained them. The girls didn't last a month with Krein before they were moved to serve Elise.

Gunther had told him what happened with so much sadness and disgust, Marx remembered screaming at him and ordering him to tell the truth, that his brother couldn't have been that cruel. But he had. The Crown Prince of Nohr had seen the damage. He had seen the broken girls tending to one another, afraid of the young prince, afraid of his brother.

It started with a cup of tea.

Felicia, clumsy and understanding Felicia, had been ordered by the old knight to practice her balance. He had given her a cup of tea and ordered her to walk through the long hall without dropping the liquid or the cup. The Dusk Dragon had watched her struggle and then, he had smiled, and while no one was looking, extended a foot and watched in amusement as Felicia, too focused on the cup to care, tripped and fell. But she had, apparently, turned to face her liege and in seconds the cup and the tea, flew straight to Krein's face as Felicia collided with the floor. After that, Krein lost it.

He managed to beat Felicia within an inch of her life and she would have probably died, had not Flora intervened. She got beat up for her trouble but Gunther put an end to it by breaking the prince's nose and ordering him away.

King Garon had been saddened when he heard and Marx still remembers the tears that fell from his eyes.

He made sure the girls healed completely before sending them to serve Elise, with orders that under no circumstances were they to serve Krein. If he wanted a cup of tea, he could ask Jakob or anyone else, but not the girls.

Then, his Father would ask for Krein's company more and more, leaving Marx out of a few deals and plans only meant for their ears.

Leon had once whispered that Father was probably planning to make Krein his heir—it wasn't unheard of for a dragon to take the throne—and they were just preparing for the announcement.

Marx wasn't bothered by his brother's assumption in the slightest. If it did come to pass that Krein would be Nohr's new King, so be it, and the Crown Prince would continue to serve his country as best as he could and as he had always had.

But then, the rumors immediately dashed those assumptions.

Marx was no fool, neither were Camilla nor Leon.

They had all heard the rumors that circled their brother Krein.

They had heard of a bandit camp that had been razed to the ground. They had heard about the disappearance of a noble who had been continuously challenging Father's authority. They had heard about the death of the chieftain of those islands that were set to trade with them in the coming months.

Krein was everything his Father wanted and needed for Nohr…and Marx was afraid.

Krein was smart and dangerous; some dared to call him mad after hearing him talk by himself one day.

His brother wasn't mad…he was just too vicious…too cruel and too powerful.

He and his siblings were different from Krein, Marx knew. They were too different and too distant. Krein had never tried to get close, despite their attempts to get close to him.

He didn't care for them as he cared for his Father and Nohr and Marx was afraid. He was afraid for his siblings, for his Father…and for Krein.

* * *

Coming back home had been, in Hinoka's words, an exhausting experience. His younger siblings had rushed to bed almost immediately after arriving. The only one that hadn't been tired by the travel had been Kamui, but she had gone to the other side of the castle to disappear behind the walls as it was customary while their Father talked with the heads of the clans in the council room. The Queen, for her part, had called an early night like her children and wished Ryoma a good night before disappearing behind closed doors, and now, the prince was alone making tea.

Ryoma usually prepared tea when he was nervous or thinking too hard about something and how could he not be.

The prince was thinking about their time in Izumo and the strange people they had met.

The first of these strangers had been the Duke of Izumo, Izana, a man with too much joy in his heart. Another stranger had been the Princess of Valla, Azura, who had come instead of her mother who had been held back by business back home. And the last strangers were the Nohrian royal family and their dragon.

It was these last strangers that left him feeling so frustrated and empty inside.

He didn't know but just seeing them interact with their dragon like family left him feeling jealous and torn.

It was no secret that the Hoshidans did not treat their dragon with the respect she deserved.

Kamui was always kept at a distance, some afraid that she might hurt them and others thinking she didn't deserve to be in their presence. Ryoma too, still recalls how he and his siblings ignored her. The First Prince still remembers how their first meeting went and how satisfied he was when he won their spar. Thinking about it now frustrated him.

He had been young then, and angry and had decided to take it out on Kamui because she…she had replaced the brother that had died.

He still remembered the glares and the rumors.

He remembered hating her; he remembered hating Mikoto when she replaced his Mother.

Hinoka and Takumi had not been too far behind in their hate. Like him, they only saw replacements and they hated them.

The hate, Ryoma realized, had been stupid.

He still remembers the words those merchants whispered in the market, about Kamui…about the dragon.

"Her appearance is a bad omen," they'll whisper to anyone who would listen. "She came to replace the fallen dragon and yet…she's so disfigured…no mouth, no eyes, and no face…that's not a dragon…that's a monster…"

Kamui, the prince had thought once, had been born to replace his late brother…she had come to bring bad luck to the family…to punish them for some unknown crime…to watch as their Mother died years later and as their Father sought comfort in another woman, in Mikoto, and offered to house the dragon that had doomed them all.

He still remembers, bitterly, how he decided to challenge the dragon to a duel. Yukimura, the royal tactician, had protested, but Ryoma was determined. He wanted revenge for what she had—not—done. She was younger and he was older and he could take this fake dragon…this monster. Hinoka had heard about the spars and had asked for permission to fight her. And so, they would fight and win some and lose others, but they never were allowed to hurt her, no matter how much Ryoma struck her in the legs and arms, no matter how much Hinoka would swipe at her face.

Ryoma growled as the tea slipped from the cup and splashed his fingers. He took a deep breath and started mixing the tea again, slower this time.

He remembered the day Kamui and her Mother moved to the Castle. Queen Ikona had been dead for years now but Ryoma still remembers being angry; he was angry at his Father, angry at Mikoto…angry at Kamui and this anger extended to his other siblings.

It took a few years for them to mellow out for Mikoto but for Kamui…Kamui was ignored.

Sumeragi, Ryoma remembers, had tried numerous times to get his children to visit but they stuck together and refused. Takumi held a grudge carried over by his elder siblings' dislike of the dragon and little Sakura was too shy and too gentle to go against her siblings.

And so, Kamui lived a lonely existence in Shirasagi, with only her Mother to visit her in her lonely days and Ryoma and the others were happy to just ignore her until one day it all changed.

Kamui had gotten sick…very sick.

She had turned into that monstrous dragon, the one with no face, and had laid there in her room, suffering. The dragon lashed at anyone during her delirium, hurting her Mother and the healers that tried everything to heal her. She let out cries of misery, and despite lacking eyes, cried and cried until the floorboards were wet and slippery with tears. Mikoto stayed with her during this miserable time, as did their Father, who consoled her and made her comfortable.

It was during this time that Ryoma and the others finally came to visit and for the first time in many years, the prince was reminded of his Mother and dead brother.

The poor boy was two and he had been miserable.

Ryoma still remembers his brother crying nonstop and asking for his 'Moma' constantly. He remembers how the illness drove the poor boy mad, making him snarl and bite all who came close to him while their Mother held him. Unlike Kamui, his brother's suffering didn't last long…he barely lasted two weeks of pain and suffering before the swift embrace of death took him.

The Second Prince of Hoshido, Katsu, died, held close by his parents and all that loved him.

And now, Kamui was suffering his fate but she would survive, not before she went through months of pain before she recovered.

Ryoma still remembered how pale she looked after she was healed.

It was during her suffering the siblings decided to stop ignoring her; they had felt sorry and had wanted to make amends. For Katsu, he remembered saying, they would do it for Katsu.

And so, they began to visit her…first Hinoka and Sakura, then Takumi and then, himself and his Father. She had loved them all immediately…she never judged them, nor gave them a hard time or demand to know why it took them so long to visit. No…Kamui had understood and had accepted them and Ryoma wondered why. Why hadn't she been angry? Upset? Anything but accepting…why…?

The tea was done…and Ryoma stared at the cup and let it fall to the floor as he stood up.

He decided to visit Kamui; they would talk about the summit and about the friends they made, all just so he could stop thinking of the past.


End file.
